A crowd of about 40 juveniles turned Market Square into a full-blown brawl Saturday evening, sending diners and pedestrians scrambling from outdoor tables and benches. Officers were called to the Forbes Avenue side of the square around 5:30 p.m. as the fight broke out, and things escalated when some juveniles started using pepper spray. Emergency crews treated roughly 20 people at the scene for exposure, and three juveniles were taken into custody.
According to WTAE, Pittsburgh Public Safety said officers responded around 5:30 p.m. after reports of a large gathering and found an active fight involving about 40 people. The department told the station that some juveniles had deployed pepper spray and that, after repeated verbal orders to break it up and clear out were ignored, officers used oleoresin capsicum spray to regain control of the scene. EMS crews treated about 20 people for pepper-spray exposure and, according to the department, no one was transported to a hospital.
Downtown Safety Worries And Earlier Clashes
The Saturday melee slots into a growing list of late-night dustups in downtown Pittsburgh that have officials and residents on edge. Police have turned to pepper spray before to break up large youth gatherings. WPXI documented a January incident outside Obama Academy where officers used pepper spray on a crowd, and earlier Market Square scuffles and a February stabbing on Forbes raised fresh concerns about safety in the square. Coverage of those earlier incidents has already sparked talk of beefed-up patrols and a stronger downtown police presence.
Police Follow-Up And Juvenile Cases
Pittsburgh Public Safety told WTAE that three juveniles were taken into custody in connection with the incident, though the department did not immediately release their names or specify potential charges. Because these are juvenile cases, they typically move through the city’s juvenile justice system, which operates differently from adult court. Authorities reiterated that no one from the scene was taken to a hospital and have not yet provided further charging details.
Investigators are still reviewing what happened, and the Public Safety Department may release additional information as it becomes available. This story will be updated if officials share more on the case or any broader downtown safety measures that follow.
